Claim to Fame

An up and coming artist - already well known in NY, likely to soon be nationally and internationally famous.

Biography

Note

Most of the following information, other than what would have been written about in news articles and gallery guides, should be considered OOC information unless you have a good reason to know it. Please ask before assuming that you know anything about my character's past, as he's fairly secretive about it for the most part. Many thanks!

Born in 1978 to Abraham van den Bosch and Leonora van Tellingen in the Dutch town of Zeist, Hugo has one elder sister, Josephine, and one elder brother, Vincent. The most notable thing about their upbringing must have been Bram and Leonora's hippy approach to life. Bram could boast on a rather remote claim to nobility, which translated into a vehemenent interest in history and folklore, a passion he brought to family life in more ways then just stories, dragging the kids to folkdances, insisting on a life without modern day gadgets (tv, radio, and consoles) and trying to bring a little of those past noble glory days into the modern day world.

The flaky Leonora on her part imagined herself to be quite the wise woman of old, bringing to the household not only a 3 foot cast iron cauldron (in the basement, Bram wouldn't stand for it to be in the kitchen), but a little touch of magic every way she saw fit. What she believed anyway - it was never in her nature. The result was a strange mix of new age-y paganism and eco-consciousness: all natural, old fashioned clothing (which the kids got teased with at school without end), a strict vegan diet and more talks about one's feelings then a person could possibly care for. Ever. On the plus side, there were bonfires, fancy dress up parties all year round and a sense of open mindedness which even stood out in Dutch society.

A major downside to life with the Bosch family was Josephine's gift (according to mom) / curse (according to Vincent and Hugo): the ability to listen to other people's thoughts. Leonora embraced Josephine's ability, spending immense amounts of time with the girl - and not spending it with her sons. If the virtual loss of their mother wasn't bad enough, puberty for the two brothers was rather embarrassing with a sister who'd know of each and every single lustful moment, though Hugo always minded less then Vincent.

The entire family was torn asunder a year after new neighbours moved in, as Leonora took an avid interest in the thirtysomething husband, father of two. The two lovers managed for nearly a year to keep their relationship hidde, till one afternoon when Hugo returned unexpectedly early, sent home sick from school to discover his mother and her lover in the throes of passion. Shortly after, Leonora ran off, leaving her husband and their three children without looking back. Bram was devasted and as a result it was almost as if they had lost both of their parents rather than just one.

For Hugo it was the last straw, the final act of betrayal from a barely-there mother. In turn, Hugo eschewed all of the family 'values' that his mother tried so hard to instill in them. The previously cheerful, honest, and engaging son retreated into himself. His attention to schoolwork and study took a dramatic turn for the worse and he found and used every excuse he could to avoid being at home at all. He stopped talking to his family and isolated himself in his own world, delving into art and athletics to keep his mind and body occupied. A year later Jo moved out of the house, which felt to Hugo like both a blessing and a curse - another member of the family gone, but not without planting an unintentional seed in her younger brother's mind.

At the age of 16, closing in on 17, Hugo took a trip with some friends to the United States… and never came back. He wrote a cursory letter to his family, what little of it was left, saying that he was going to live in the US and become a famous artist, that they shouldn't bother looking for him, and that he would never come back because there was nothing to come back to. Unfortunately for Hugo, becoming a 'famous' artist was not as easy as he thought it might be, unrealistic dreams of the Big Apple and the land of opportunity slapping him in the face. For the first few years in NYC, the young man struggled just to survive, working low-wage, under-the-counter jobs trying to avoid getting caught without a Green Card, often squatting in abandoned buildings, peddling what art he could make on the streets in the hopes of making some money and maybe, just maybe, getting discovered.

For many years it was a hard and unsavory life. Hugo had already been somewhat jaded by his mother's betrayal, but this was far more difficult and dangerous. Things had become desperate enough that he had turned to less than legal ways to make ends meet. In the end, Hugo was lucky, though some might not consider it as such. His life was turned around when both he and his art work were found pleasing by an influential gallery owner. A deal was struck. Hugo would have whatever he needed - a place to work, clothes, food, art supplies - and in return he gave a hefty percentage to his new 'patron' of whatever art was sold, along with other… benefits. It could have been worse. He was treated kindly, even fairly. His patron was older, but still attractive, and a shrewd businessman who not only showed Hugo the ropes, but helped him climb them. Within only a few short years the name of Hugo Bosch was being bandied about the art world as the next big 'thing', an artist on the precipice of becoming hugely famous.

It was during this time that Hugo had a most unexpected, and most fortunate, reunion with his family. There was, after all, the rather delicate situation due to his illegal status as a non-citizen of the United States. By the time Vincent had manged to track down his little brother, Hugo was on the verge of being discovered as an illegal alien, the threat of deportation a real one. So the brothers made a deal. Vincent sent Hugo to a lawyer he knew who had connections and methods for getting one through the legal system and a Green Card. And in return? Hugo only had to reach out to his family once again. Now a strong, determined, and assured indivdual, there was not much that one could do to force Hugo to do anything he did not want, but this was a favor that he could not turn down.

Now, riding the high of his success as an artist, Hugo is living the good life. In the art world he is considered a charming rebel, going through relationships as quickly as he goes through canvases. His art work is praised for its sense of color and intensity, its daring and often uncomfortable subject matter, and the way that the figures feel so alive and tangible. He still prefers small galleries and warehouse showings rather than kowtowing to big museums, making corporate sponsored mainstream masterpieces. He's considered to be something of an exhibitionist in the way he likes to provoke people, both in his art and personal life.

Wanting to take a break for awhile from NYC, Hugo has accepted an offer to do an exclusive showing of all new work and a mural for a prominent gallery in Dallas. He's just arrived in the city and plans to stay for a few months, exploring it from his own unique perspective before putting his experiences on canvas, reflecting Dallas through his eyes and brushstrokes.

Character Details

Hugo is very engaging, interactive; a social butterfly bad-boy, living life to the fullest with no apologies and no excuses for his choices, behavior, or art work. But in truth, few people really /know/ the man. He keeps his emotions buried down deep inside, indulges in many brief and superficial relationships to protect himself from the real and perceived betrayals of his childhood. He is well armored against the slings and arrows of the world around him, facing them down with a sardonic smile and quick wit, but he is often not nearly so confident or assured as he would have one believe.

While he could be incredibly bitter and jaded, Hugo has come to realize that there really isn't any point to that approach. The only person that harms is himself, and as such he has a rather optimistic, though still realistic, outlook on life. He is deeply committed to his art work and the integrity thereof, always interested in exploring new ideas, media, and styles. While he is enjoying success now, he doesn't pander to the public or the current popular styles - which is in part why he is so successful. He isn't afraid of taking chances and crossing boundaries. Living in New York City, Hugo has pretty much seen it all in a way. In that city, more than any other, one lives life to the extreme. As such, Hugo has a 'live and let live' attitude towards most things.

Art

He is a skilled artist, mostly in the arena of painting, though he has and does branch out into other fields when inspiration and opportunity strikes. He tends to work on large canvases, creating paintings that challenge the viewer on a life-sized scale.

Carpentry

Though highly intelligent, Hugo wasn't particularly interested in going into a scholarly field. After finishing MAVO, Hugo was planning to study carpentry for a career. He ended up moving to the US and becoming an artist instead, but still has decent carpentry skills, though he's far from a master carpenter.

Athletics

Hugo joined an athletics club as a way to escape his family and his thoughts, focusing mainly on running, both long distance and short. He still runs regularly to keep in shape both mentally and physically.

Languages

Like most of the Dutch, Hugo is multi-lingual, speaking English, French, German and, of course, Dutch.

Artistic Temperament

Hugo has been pushing his emotions down for many years now and as a result, sometimes they can flare up unexpectedly and violently, causing outbursts or worse. In addition, due to hiding a lot of his true feelings and keeping the world at arms length, Hugo has many aquaintances, but few truly close friends. He keeps romances short and sexy, generally moving on before things get too serious.

Fighting

Though physical fit and able, Hugo has always been more of a lover than a fighter. As such, other than some rudimentary brawling skills learned the hard way in school and on the streets, he's not terribly skilled when it comes to a punch-up or worse.

Stubborn

Hugo tends to do things when he wants, how he wants, and where he wants. No excuses, no explanations. While in some ways this trait can be admirable, it also can alienate him from others and keep him from taking good advice, being tactful, or making a good decision.

It wasn't easy growing up with an older sister who could read your every dirty thought, but despite this fact, Hugo was always fond of and close to Josephine till the family broke apart and he stopped being close to anyone. Now he takes pleasure in teasing, mocking, and provoking her at every opportunity he gets. And while he loves her, they still tend to fight like cats and dogs.

Though his older brother has always had a protective nature toward him, Hugo has never been particularly close to Vincent, finding him too uptight and severe for his liking. But he owes Vincent. Big time.

Max kindly gives Hugo a ride home after leaving Grisly's. The artist shows the officer his work and convinces him to model for him sometime in the future. Note: Takes place immediately after Giving Thanks.

Josephine comes out of the woodwork to give Hugo a good mocking in the aftermath of the auction. But when things take a turn toward the nasty, brother and sister come close to parting ways… forever. Takes place a little while after Bait and Switch.

Hugo takes Desiree out for an evening of dinner and dancing at the Brook Hollow Country Club. When Paige and Michael are invited to join them, however, it becomes an ironic case of cross-purpose and cross-planetary conversations.

At her request, Hugo takes Desiree back to his place after their evening out at the Country Club. Apparently she has much to tell him. Ironically he suspected or knew most of it. NOTE: Takes place a few hours after Venus and Mars.

Paige flees into the Bean Scene Cafe to escape the rain and ironically bumps into Hugo. But an innocent ride home will drastically affect their lives and that of a stranger.OOC Note:Police, press and other affected parties - please contact Hugo if you have any questions or require further information.

Having just moved in to his apartment, Hugo meets one of his neighbors, Susan. His first impression is that she is rude, arrogant, and thinks that others are merely here to serve her whims. One should always heed first impressions.

Hugo checks out one of the more infamous coffee shops with the intention of people watching and sketching and meets by chance Michael. Ironically they have more in common than they realize, namely Josephine.

Josephine finally responds to Hugo's calls, showing up at 'his' apartment for dinner. But both of them have to overcome their pride and lingering prejudices before being able to realize that they really don't know each other at all any more.